Bottling-machine.



J. H. CHAMP. BOTTLING MAGHINE.

` APPLICATION I'I-LEI) APL?, 1909. 979,745. Patented 1360.27, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

` STABS Armar Enron.

JOSEPH H. CHAMP, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

BOTTLING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 7, 1909.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, JOSEPH I-I. CHAMP, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Bottling-Machines, of which the following is a specification, the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

The liquids, for the handling of which the present machine is designed, belong to the class generally termed still liquids, in contra-distinction to effervescent liquids, that is, liquids more or less charged with gas, usually carbonio acid gas, under pressure.

Ihe object of the invention is the provision of a machine for the bottling of still liquids that will fill the bottles uniformly to a given height, irrespective of slight variations in their actual capacity, such as are apt to be encountered in glass ware, as also a machine that will accurately andsecurely seal the bottles against the filling valve during the filling operation. The means constituting these and the other associated improvements comprehended in the invention will be hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of various mechanical 'forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawings Figure l is a front elevational view of a machine embodying my several improvements; Fig, 2 is a transverse sectional view of the same on the line 2 2, Fig. l, showing in plan a feature j of construction characterizing such machine; Fig. 3 is partly a side elevation and partly a vertical section of the portion of the machine directly connected with the handling of the bottles, and illustrating the latter in two different positions in relation to the machine; Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the filling valve, proper, in its normal inoperative position; and Fig. 5 is a central section of such valve showing the same in its raised, or filling, position.

The general machine structure appearing in Fig. l aside from the special features characteristic of the present invention, embodies certain features that form the subject matter of a co-pending application tiled February 8, 1909, Serial No. 476,669. Such machine frame, then, will be seen to comprise a suitable base A from which rise two vertical standards or posts A. Adjustably mounted upon the upper portion of these posts is the reservoir or tank B, wherein the material being handled is contained. As in the copending application just referred to, this reservoir is not necessarily a primary reservoir, but is preferably utilized simply as a secondary reservoir, to which the material is transferred from any more general source of supply through a connecting pipe Z9.

Reciprocably mounted upon the intermediate portions of the standards, is a platform or table D that constitutes the support upon which the bottles c to be filled are placed. As usual in apparatus of the class in hand, such bottles will be ordinarily held in trays or crates C, and the upper member D of the reciprocable platform is hence adapted for the reception' of the trays in question, although if desired, provision may be made for the placing of the bottles directly thereon instead. Such upper member D is adjustable relatively to the lower member D2, being held in desired position with respect thereto by means of a screw d bearing a hand-wheel cl for convenience in operation. Reciprocation of the platform is secured in the case in hand, by means of a hydraulic or other fluid-pressure cylinder Z2 vertically disposed below the lower platform member D2, to the under side of which latter the plunger Z3 within the cylinder is directly attached. Obviously, any suitable actuating means may be employed in place of the pressure cylinder, if desired. Despite the predetermined or limited throw of the actuating means, thus provided, it will be evident that the relative adjustability of the two members of the platform and of the filling tank permits the bottles resting on the upper platform member to be brought into proper coperative relation with said tank irrespective of the size of the bottles.

The filling mechanism proper includes a series of similar devices E mounted in the bottom of the reservoir B, Figs. 1 and 3, so as to be located one above each bottle in tray C', when the platform is raised. Each such filling device comprises, Figs. 4t and 5, an outer bushing or sleeve E fixedly mounted in the reservoir bottom, on the upper face of which is disposed an annular ring of packing material e. Slidably mounted in such bushing, is a filling tube E2 that projects downwardly a suiiicient distance to enter within the mouth of the bottle. A washer e, carried by said tube is adapted to form a close lit within the bushing E and a head e2 mounted on the tubes upper end is adapted to seat on the packing ring e on the upper end of the bushing. The lateral walls of said lling tube are provided with perforations c3, which are located just below the head, but which may be at different elevations, so that in the raised position of the tube the liquid within the tank or reservoir is permitted to freely fiow down the tube and into the bottle. To enable the latter to thus raise the tube, as also to form a seal for the bottle mouth, a plug E3, constituting a bottle mouth-piece, is mounted upon the portion of the tube projecting below the bushing, such plug including a rubber gasket et adapted to eect the desired closure. A compression spring c5 is interposed between the sleeve and such plug to normally depress the tube and determine the degree of pressure exerted to effect the closure of the bottle. Lying centrally within the filling tube and extending above the same a distance suflicient to expose its upper end above the level of liquid maintained in the tank is a vent tube or duct 0G, the lower end of which is adapted to communicate with the bottles interior by opening e7 distinct from the opening es of the filling tube, proper.

As has been indicated, it is desirable in the filling of bottles to have the line of the liquid rise to a substantially uniform height in their necks that the bottled product may have a proper appearance. Vith the construction of filling device just described, the flow of the liquid into the bottle will cease when its level therein rises to a height sufficient to shut off the opening e7 of the vent tube.- Since it may not always be desired, however, to have the liquid stand at exactly this height, and since the portion of the tube depending into the liquid when withdrawn obviously, allows the level to lower, somewhat, I propose in the present connection to provide a separable section e forming the extremity of the filling tube, the purpose of which is to determine the amount of space thus taken up by the latter, and thus to accurately gage the level of the liquid within the bottle neck, not only when the flow of the liquid ceases, but also after the bottle has been removed from the filling device entirely. By rendering this section detachable, I am enabled to utilize various sizes to produce any desired result in t-he respect noted in bottles of different capacity and forms, as will be readily understood.

To properly guide the bottle mouth onto the filling tube E2, and thereupon to accurately center the same with respect to the plug, or mouth-piece E3 that forms the closure therefor in the filling operation, guide means in the form of a series of flaring or funnel-like, open cups f are provided, these being carried by a frame F reciprocably secured to the standards A of the machine above the platform upon which the bottles are placed preparatory to their being raised into contact with the filling devices, the normal height of the frame above the platform being sufficient to permit this without interference. Side bars f carried by the lower platform member D2 are provided at their upper ends with members f2 adapted to engage with this frame, the adjustment of the latter being such, however, as to require a preliminary upward movement of the platform as a whole, along with the bottles carried thereby, before such engagement takes place. During such initial movement, accordingly, the frame carrying the flaring guide cups remains stationary so that the bottles are raised into the position illustrated in Fig. 3, whereby they are accurately centered for the entrance therein of the filling tubes of the several filling devices before the latter are encountered. Any further upward movement, however, of the platform and bottles, now carries along with it the frame, so that the bottles are maintained in their centered positions,- just referred to,through out the remainder of their upward movement, and as a result are carefully centered against the closing plugs of the filling devices, which might not otherwise be the case were they allowed to slide along the filling tubes. A thorough and eective sealing of the bottles is thus insured.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention l. In mechanism of the class described, the combination of a bottle-illing device; a vertically reciprocable bottle support; a guide member for centering a bottle with respect to said filling device; and means adjustably connected with said support adapted to engage and raise said guide member after said support has been raised a predetermined distance.

2. In mechanism of the class described, the combination of a bottle-filling device; a vertically reciprocable bottle support; guide means for centering abottle with respect to said filling device, said means including an open cone-shaped cup reciprocably mounted over said support and normally held higher than the bottles on the latter; and means adjustably connected with said support adapted lle said support has raised such bottles into eonto engage and raise said cup after said suptact therewith. port has been raised a predetermined dis- 3. In mechanism of the class described, the tance.

5 combination of a bottle-llling device; a Ver;l Signed by me this 5th day of April, 1909. 15

ticzilly reci aroeable bott e support; une l guide meansl for centering a bottle With re- JOSEPH H CHAMP' spect t0 said filling device, seid means in- Attested by-w cludng an open cone-shaped Cup reeipro- D. T. DAVIES,

10 @ably mounted over said support, and means v MARY GLADWELL.

to engage and raise said guide means after adjustabiy connected with the latter adapted 

